Research

Battling the bulge

Researchers examine ways to curb
obesity

by Jeff Green

A dramatic increase in obesity rates in Canada – particularly
among young adults – has prompted a team of Memorial
researchers to look at new ways to trigger weight loss for those in
battle with the bulge.

Armed with $10,000 in funding from the Newfoundland and Labrador
Centre for Applied Health Research, the team from the School of
Human Kinetics and Recreation analyzed whether or not hypoxia can
increase basal metabolic rate, an indirect measurement of total
energy expenditure at rest and possibly lead to weight loss.

It was all part of a pilot study resulting in a “solid
start” to understanding a complex issue, said Dr. Fabien
Basset, an assistant professor in the school and the lead
investigator.

“Hypoxia is basically a lower oxygen concentration in
inspired air and has mainly been used as a means to improve aerobic
capacity in highly endurance trained athletes,” he
explained.

“Lately new perspectives have emerged from studies on human
hypoxia tolerance showing that the majority of weight loss in lean
male subjects was attributed to loss of fat mass.”

Dr. Basset and his team – which included master’s
student Chad Workman and undergraduate student Jessica Rideout
– set out to examine whether the same effect of hypoxia could
be trigged in sedentary males.

To test their theory, they recruited 11 young men between the ages
of 19 and 25 with a body mass index of 25. All but one was
considered moderately overweight and unfit.

The researchers used a top-notch piece of equipment in the school
to conduct their study. In short, the machine allowed high altitude
– 4,000 metres above sea level – to be simulated. The
participants strapped on a special face mask through which they
breathed in hypoxic air mixture by using a piece of equipment Dr.
Basset uses regularly in his research known as the Go2Altitude.
Researchers assessed participants’ energy expenditure before
and after the treatment following an overnight fast.

In the end, the results showed a significant shift in substrate
utilization towards fat.

“In brief, we have shown that after being exposed to hypoxia
our body is utilizing more fat. Let me put it to you this way, if
55 per cent of your energy was coming from fat before the
exposition, you increased this value after being exposed,”
noted Dr. Basset.

Dr. Basset said his pilot study is a “step in the right
direction” and offers “effective insight” into
understanding the dramatic increase in obesity rates as a threat to
public health.

“It is an important start. Our research provides valuable
information for future research in the area of hypoxia as a new
therapeutic strategy to improve the management of weight
loss,” he added.

Dr. Basset will present the findings from his study at the Canadian
Society of Exercise Physiology conference which is taking place in
Alberta this fall.